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ll. PRIDMORE..

MOWING MACHINE.

` Patented Mar. 24, 188.5.

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(Model.) 12 sheets-sheen 2. E. PRI-DMORE.

-MOWNG MACHINE.

Patente Mar. 24, 1885.

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` EDVARD PRIDMORE, OF BATAVIA, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THEJOHN- STONHARVESTER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE. 1 i

ViOWlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 31%,541 dated March 24,1885. n

Application filed February 13, 1884. (Model.)

To all whom, il may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD PRIDMORE, a citizen of the United States,residing `at Batavia, in the county of Genesee and State of 5 New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mowing-Maehines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to improvements in mowing-machines of that classin which the i; cutting apparatus is located forward of the actuatingmechanism; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide aneasy method of tilting the cutter-bar by the driver from his seat uponthe machine, and enable him, without stopping his team, to raise thepoint of the sickle-guards with the cuttingknives, so that the cutterswill readily pass over stones or other obstructions without injury tothe parts; also to be able, when de- 23 sired, to run underneath and cutany lodged grass that may be met with; second, to prol vide a flexibleconnection between the adjustable cutting-bar and the stationary part ofthe machine, so as to prevent cramping or strain- 25 ing thecouplingbolts when in the act of raising or lowering` the saidcutter-bar. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a perspective view of the machine, with part of the frame broken away to show the crank-shaft. Fig.2 is a cross-section of the same. Figs. 3 and et are detail views.

Similarletters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The main frame A, with the tongue A, carrying-wheels B,gear-wheelG,pinion O,cranl shaft d, and crank-wheel D, may be constructed in theusual and well-known manner, as these parts do not constitute anyportion of my invention.

E is ashield secured in any suitable manner to that portion of the mainframe which carries the crankshaft, and curved up to protect thecrank-wheel.

F is the inner shoe, to which is bolted or otherwise secured thefinger-bar G. This shoe has upon its front end a pin or spur, f, andatthe rear a lug, f', to which is secured a tubularbearing, f3, throughwhich passes a 5o securing-bolt, f i, screw-threaded at its rear end toreceive the nutby which the connect ing-link H2 is securely fastenedagainst the end of the said tubular bearing. The forward end of thissecuring bolt also has a screw thread and nut, so that the coupling-armIand con- Vex-faced washer K2 may be held in true working position, ashereinafter more fully eX- i plained. This tubular bearing f" passesthrough an opening in the swivel-block HQ! g so that the finger-bar maybe tilted forward or` 6c back, as well as folded up for transportation.i vThe vertical connecting-rod I'll is pivot-ed at its upper end to theshort arm of the tiltinglever H3. This tilting-lever is provided with aspring-bolt, h, having a rod connecting it to the bell-crank lever hf,by means of which the` bolt is withdrawn from the notches in theAlocking-plate if, formed in the are of a circle, l at whose center thetilting-lever is fnlerumedll I is athrust-bar, upon which is munntedthel 7o quadrant locking-plate h2, and which is pivoted to the mainframeupon the under side at apoint near the rearinner corner. This thrustbarhas depending arms i i2 i, the` rear one,A i', supporting theswivel-block H. y `75 The central arm, i2, is recessed at its lower end,and within the recess the shoe-spurf plays, thus permitting the tiltingof the fingerbar.

The arm i, extending from the forward end 8o of the bar I, is providedwith adjusting-holes 1 t, for the reception of the arbor upon which theground-wheel J is mounted.

The thrust-bar I is arched at c, for the purpose of allowing the play ofthe pitman (shown in dotted lines) while operating the sickle, alsoshown in dotted lines.

K is a coupling-bar pivotally connecting the arm of the thrust-bar withthe shield E, and K is another coupling-bar pivotally eonnect- 9o ingthe shoe with said shield. This bar K has acup-shaped end next to theshoe, theconveX portion of which enters the opening in the lugf of theshoe and a concave socketin the end of the tubular bearing ft.

concavity of said cupped end of the bar K is l inserted a convex-facedwasher, through which passes the securing-bolt f2, and firmly unites allthe parts in such a manner that the requisiteexibility is given thefinger-bar verti- .roo cally, while the same is held in a rigid` posi`tion laterally. The object of this. concave` Into the convex conplingisto providea joint that shall jbeuniversal to a limited extent, andpermit thenger-bar to be readily raised and lowered, A

bythe segment lifting-lever, as shown, or any other well-known devicemay be adopted, as

my invention consists only in the manner of constructing the operatingdevices for tilting the said bar and holding the same in true poisition.Itis well knownthat in the practical ioperation of mowing-machines smallstones or vother obstructions often lie in the path of the cutters,visible to the operator, who is mounted upon the machine, which, unlessavoided, will seriously damage these delicate parts.

In the use vof my device, when the cutter-bar is in the normal positionand such damaging obstructions are met, the operator grasps the v f,'tilting-lever with one hand, and, disengaging the spring-'bolt from thelocking-notch, gives 'v .therequired movement to the lever, which,

through the jointed connection with the fingerbar, raises the points ofthe guard-fingers, and

l on aoconnt'of the flexible raising device the finger-bar is allowed torise and ride over obstructions of considerable magnitude without`injury to the cutters. When the obstruction i's-passed, thetilting-lever and the finger-bar can be restored to their formerpositions withvonftj'the delayincident to stopping theteam, andwithoutthe expenditure of so much force as is requyisite'in raising thefinger-bar bodily, asis usually done. Should lodged or tangled "grass bemet, the operator can, by the use of the tiltin g-lever, throw thepoints ofthe guardfingers downfand under the matted portion, and thuscut the same without diculty.

' `Itvvill bei Observed that the cutter-bar in the tilting operationdoes not turn upon its longitudinal center, but as the hinge is in therear of the bar the points of the guards are raised or lowered withoutgiving the reverse motiony to the rear of said bar, as is usually done.y

The ground-wheel located in front of the cutter-bar is not a necessaryappendage in the successful tilting of the bar, as the operation iseasily performed without it; yet by preference the wheel is used tolighten the draft.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is"

l. The combination of the linger-bar, the shoe having theforwardly-projectingspur, the thrust-bar having the depending armprovided with a recess within which said spur'plays, and coupling-bars KK', all arranged and operating substantially described.

2. The combination of the finger-bar, the shoe, the rear extension ofsaid shoe, thethrustbar provided with the notched quadrantplate, thebent tilting-lever, the means, as described, for connecting said leverwith the finger-bar, and the ground-wheel, all arranged and operatingsubstantially as described.

3. The combination of the finger-bar, the shoe having the front and rearextensions, the thrust-bar having the recess for the reception of thefront extension of said shoe, the swivel- EDWARD PRI DMORE.

Witnesses: C. A. SHERwooD,

E. J. MooKFoRD.

